


under the stars

by vadeImaa



Category: Gintama
Genre: Gen, and the rest just being the joui 4 getting drunk on a roof, sincere apologies i dont know how to write takasugi as anything but comic relief i do love him, theres the whiplash of the first half being poetic summary of sakamotos past, they drink alcohol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28238775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vadeImaa/pseuds/vadeImaa
Summary: Tatsuma had thought a lot about the stars, though not anymore because he wanted to buy one. Okay maybe a little bit. Actually his dreams had levelled up to buying several stars, maybe an entire galaxy. Imagine, owning a galaxy, a whole piece of the universe - that'd be very, very cool.Sakamoto reflects, the joui four have a christmas party.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Gintama Mini Secret Santa 2020





	under the stars

**Author's Note:**

> so i wasn't very familiar with sakamoto but as the joui 4 are my life i decided to with this gift finally get around to thinking of him in specific...i saw the words under the stars, fixated on that and went all out just, this is about stars now!

The stars are always there. Looking up at them as a child, Tatsuma used to laugh and say that one day he'd buy a star and live on it, instead of under it. The sun was a star, if he bought it he could literally make the world revolve around himself, wouldn't that be funny? His schoolmates seemed to think it funny, or well, they laughed. Perhaps more at him than with him, but that wasn't really important, they laughed and enjoyed his company. 

Tatsuma's father often talked about money, about trade and profit. He might have been a samurai in name, but it was only for the money that name provided. A comfortable life was the most important thing, Tatsuma learnt this from an early age. And this life could be achieved by knowing people, convincing some and making sure others weren't a hindrance. Being agreeable was key, and unthreatening was a good thing to be.

In school he didn't really excel at reading traditional texts, writing steady calligraphy and doing arithmetic or whatever. Well, he didn't excel at most things, really, least of all the discipline part of it. But that didn't mean much, he was agreeable and in the end, well-liked, and he had much to do. He studied the sword, became proficient, became talented. He talked to people, learnt to give and take. He really only wanted everyone to be happy, wanted to run around in the fields, perhaps see what was beyond the everyday streets of Tosa, see what lies beyond the seas, see beyond.... 

The fact remained that Sakamoto Tatsuma wanted to reach for the stars. 

*

The stars reached down for Sakamoto Tatsuma first, though. Or the entirety of Edo, if one were to be exakt, but he didn't care for exactness, exactly. The Amanto had been a vague threat and existence for most of Tatsuma's childhood, but it was only when he was in his late teens that he realized that he could do something about it. 

*

Many nights they slept under the stars, when there was no time to put up proper tents, when the battle had been too exhausting for anything. When all they could do was to laugh and fight and cry but mostly just laugh because some things are too terrible to cry at. Tatsuma tried to stay away, stay under roofs, negotiating, talking, helping in the ways he knew best, but that the stars shouldn't bear witness to. 

He used what his father taught him, he wielded his sword with another hand. He fought enough to somehow be considered a leader, and provided enough to be well-liked. He forged bonds, loyalties, saw many things beyond what his earlier years had given him. He saw things he never would have wished to see, but he had purpose, kind of, and he found others who not only shared that same purpose and circumstance, but surprisingly much more. 

*

He'd thought a lot about the stars, not because he wanted to buy one. Okay maybe a little bit. Actually his dreams had levelled up to buying several, maybe an entire galaxy. Imagine, owning a galaxy, a whole piece of the universe - that'd be very, very cool. Maybe he could make a prosperous community for all those who lived there, one without war and death of the young, and definitely without hangovers and uncomfortable shoes. 

What purpose was there really, he wanted to ask that of Shinsuke, of Zura, but the only one he ended up confronting without a wide smile plastered on his face, was Gintoki. Sleeping, Gintoki. Napping, closing his eyes to seem unlistening and uninterested, Gintoki. Tatsuma had only known his fellow leaders and powerful figureheads for a relatively short amount of time. As long as he'd known their other companions, those fallen and those sleeping underneath the roof they were currently lounging on. He knew Gintoki, though. So he spoke. 

Tatsuma told Gintoki he couldn't continue this way, he knew he'd find understanding, though of course not the kind said out loud. His dreams had always been bigger, not only about the stars, but about peace. About everyone ending up happy. He couldn't see a path in front of him that led to that anymore, he could barely see one above. He would no longer live under the stars, he'd live among them, and work from there with what he could. Well, that was the sentiment of it, anway, not in those pretty words, though, because neither he nor Gintoki would appreciate them. He knew before he asked that Gintoki wouldn't come, despite him being the closest to him, in not caring about the world so much as the people he knows in it. Too much so, too much of that caring. They all hurt and some of them survived. 

*

Stars were funny, because no matter where you went, you were always both under and among them, it didn't take long for Tatsuma to realize this. He travelled around with his crew, made one deal after another, some with more beneficial consequences, some less fair, but all, technically, with an effort to leave all parties as satisfied and happy as possible. 

He saw many stars and planets, met and did business with many who years ago would have on principle either been out to kill or be killed by him. Some called him a traitor surely, but what did it really matter. Earth was still his home, the people on it important to him, his comrades ones he would and could be the idiot for any time. There were things he'd fight for, more things he'd speak for, but also many things that he would do neither for. Compromises were an important part of business, and he was a businessman. When the time came he certainly did do his part. Reconciling his friends' differences, unpacking their childhood trauma, dealing with their shit in general - more or less, don't sweat the details, all out of love - and, he supposes, saving Edo three times over. Tatsuma wondered if he could ask for some repayment from, like, the government. Governments? He did have inside contacts these days, and money troubles were something he familiarized himself with every other week, the weeks he wasn't basically swimming in money, that was. A little would be deserved. Haha. Or not. Peaceful times were probably never going to come. So he took away again, only to return. Goodbyes were mostly rocks thrown at him, greetings flying kicks to his head. But he couldn't really believe that his friends would have as bad an aim as that. 

*

"A Christmas party? Weird time but okay haha, sounds fun." 

The suggestion (announcement?) comes somewhat as a surprise. It's still only halfway through november, but who's to say if Gintoki is aware of the passage of time. Tatsuma isn't exactly in touch with the earth calendar either, but at least he knows christmas. And some other months, the occasional changing of the seasons. Okay so sometimes he is surprised to arrive on earth and find out that half a year has passed and it's September not March. One has to understand, perhaps Gintoki has similar problems. But the man in question just looks over his shoulder at an exasperated Zura and scoffs. 

"Idiot, we're all busy adults here, who has the time to do anything on the actual day. I'm a man with a family, you know? Who is gonna spend Christmas with a bunch of clowns who haven't experienced any emotional growth for ten years, huh? We're only doing this now because there's time now."

"What's even the point of celebrating anything, I hate you all," Shinsuke richens the conversation with his comment. He looks annoyed. Annoyed at what, who knows and who cares, actually, probably something between a lot and everything. 

"You're here aren't you," Tatsuma smiles. It's very genuine, as always, and the glare he receives as a response is just as delightful as he hoped. 

"That's right, Shin-chan, you're here, you're probably filled with gratitude and wonder at the rare and unforeseen circumstance of people tolerating your presence, now if you're lucky maybe Zura or that creepy underling of yours will dress up as santa again and give you a first and final experience of childish christmas joy, oh, maybe you'll get to go on a date with santa, wouldn't that be the christmas spirit in its truest form, who wouldn't want to go on a date with santa-san, can a poor neglected man get a date with a cute santa actually, don't waste yourself on men like Takasugi, he'll only brood and make you miserable," Gintoki launches a more or less purposeful monologue, clearly not satisfied with a mere bad look. Tatsuma's friends all love violence, as two of them are just about to prove. 

"Before you ask: yes, we have alcohol," Zura speaks to Tatsuma, "neither of those two are evolved enough for any actual affection, but, you know," vaguely hypocritical he gives Tatsuma a meaningful look, gracefully ignoring the damage being done behind them. Gintoki's and Shinsuke's faces can stand a few more scratches, they'll heal by the next scene anyway. Someone has to provide background entertainment, and it can't always be the token idiot. A title, of course, easily bestowed upon any one of them. 

Slinging an arm around Zura's shoulder, Tatsuma laughs, "Maybe  _ I  _ can go on a date with Santa and leave them here." 

A sudden pain and a pen suddenly up his nose let's Tatsuma know Zura appreciates his company and input. The feeling is quite mutual, though of course there is no better way of showing it, than just this. 

*

"It's too damn cold out here, " Gintoki grumbles. 

They're up on the roof, to cool down. Or maybe it's because Shinsuke had been drunk, sitting by the window, looking like the dramatic little shit he was, and Gintoki had, just  _ had  _ to go and ask him if he was compensating for something, grinning like he had made a suggestive remark his - also drunk - brain was probably the only one to comprehend, and Zura, possibly sober but born an idiot and a comedian, decided that doing an imitation of Shinsuke at his peak emo was a good idea (it definitely was, Zura's impression was  _ really  _ accurate and much funnier than should be allowed) and soon the three of them were shouting and screaming and laughing and the neighbours (everyone living within a radius of several kilometres, probably) they were cursing them but Tatsuma didn't think of that, he was a grownup with real world problems and none of those was stopping him from convulsing with laughter even (especially) the other three found incredibly obnoxious. So he suggested going up on the roof, because that was the only smart thing to do, and because it reminded him of other times, and because, well, Gintoki went silent and grinned before picking up a bottle to bring, Zura had his most ridiculously serious expression on, and even Shinsuke didn't grumble, because for some reason, they listened to Tatsuma, right now. So up on the roof all four of them were. 

"Don't complain, Gintoki, it's only for a while," Zura reprimands him. Zura himself is covered by three pieces of fabric bearing a vague resemblance to coats in various colours very unlike his usual scheme. He looks very comfortable, except for Gintoki's elbow now repeatedly hitting him in the side. Shinsuke is glaring at them like he also wants to complain about the cold but can't, because he'd be agreeing with Gintoki. 

It's quiet for a while, only the last leaves of autumn rustling in the wind, the deliberate and very demonstrational chattering of Gintoki's teeth and a sound that barely even is a sound, more a feeling. Tatsuma lets out a short laugh at nothing in particular, and both Gintoki and Zura glare at him. 

"Take off your sunglasses you bastard it's the middle of the night," Gintoki reaches out and - quite unnecessarily violently - grabs for the glasses on Tatsuma's face. He hits the chin instead, and then the nose, and then, well-coordinated as he is, he loses his balance, bringing Zura down with him into an uncomfortable pile, luckily still far from the edge of the roof. They lie there, for a moment, Shinsuke sitting to the side, pretending he hasn't noticed what's going on. Gintoki tries to get up but falls right back when his hand slips on the hem of  _ someone's  _ jacket. He groans. 

"It's too damn dark for this"

"Haha, the stars shine bright enough, though."

"Shut up, Sakamoto." 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope this was okay! theyre celebrating christmas i guess but theyre doing it on sakamotos bday now bc i said so! happy holidays, i guess.
> 
> the part in the beginning was kind of based on what i think i know about sakamoto ryouma


End file.
